1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable containers, and in particular, to portable containers for sportsmen and the like, which provide easily accessible and airtight storage, and which may be simultaneously employed as a seat or stool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Combination bait containers and seats are well known in the art. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,845, van Leeuwen discloses a transportable fishing bucket constituting a combined closure and rotatable seat, where live or artificial bait may be stored at the bottom of the container and having an outer seat wherein access to the interior bait container which is had by rotation of the seat. Similar arrangements are found in other United States patents classified in class 43, subclasses 55 and 56, among others.
Jackson, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,919,169, also discloses a sportsman's receptacle which may be employed as a seat. According to Jackson, the top cover member has tiered sections for storage of artificial bait and the like. Similar arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,051,540 to Wood; U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,809 to Krenz; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,657,734 to Frost. Pryale, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,574, discloses a container employing a combination lid and seat. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,006, Sokolis discloses a fisherman's chair having a receptacle portion underneath the seat.
Combination containers of the type described above fall short of the needs of many sportsmen, especially fishermen. Since a fisherman may fish in one place for an extended period of time, it is desirable to be able to clean the fish and place the cleaned fish in a cooler for keeping. Additionally, a fisherman's container must, of necessity, be capable of storing the fisherman's artificial lures and other paraphernalia, including smoking articles, food and the like. However, if the cleaned fish are to be placed in a cooled portion of the container, it is imperative that the fish be isolated from the food and other personal amenities of the fisherman, so as to prevent a "fishy" odor from adhering thereto. It is further desirable to be able to chill food or beverages at the same time cleaned fish are maintained in a chilled state, again, while isolating the fishy odor from the rest of the container's contents.